Press Release

Joe Andruzzi Foundation and Stop & Shop Team Up to Battle Food Insecurity

Joe Andruzzi Foundation and Stop & Shop Team Up to Battle Food Insecurity

NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA., Sept. 6, 2019 – The Joe Andruzzi Foundation (JAF) and Stop & Shop today announced the formation of a charitable giving initiative, Goal Line Giving, aimed at making sure New England cancer patients and their families dealing with food insecurity are able to afford groceries while undergoing treatment.

For nearly 11 years JAF has provided more than 10,000 grants to help thousands of cancer patients and their family members battling the cost of cancer by assisting with non-medical expenses such as household bills, car payments, gas, and utilities. But with more than one-quarter of all JAF financial assistance patient applicants dealing with the issue of food insecurity, the Foundation is grateful to be joining forces with with Stop & Shop – a business known for its philanthropy and long history of community engagement – to provide local families with access to fresh food for healthy meals before, during, and after treatment.

“Battling cancer is hard enough without having to worry about affording food. Unfortunately, it’s a reality listed by 28 percent of the people who apply for financial assistance from the Foundation,” said JAF President and CEO Jen Andruzzi. “We are extremely grateful to our corporate partner Stop & Shop for its continued generosity in assisting the community.”

A 2006 study in Kentucky found 55 percent of food insecure cancer patients reported not taking a prescribed medication because they could not afford it. Also, food-insecure patients had statistically significant higher levels of nutritional risk, depression, and financial strain, and lower quality of life compared with food secure patients.

“Food insecurity is a concern for many New Englanders, but even more so for families coping with cancer. As a company that prides itself on supporting local communities, partnering with JAF on this campaign just made sense,” said Stop & Shop Director of External Communications and Community Relations Jennifer Brogan. “We are proud to partner with Jen, Joe and the entire JAF team and look forward to supporting families during their fight against cancer.”

Through the 2019 “Goal Line Giving” campaign, Stop & Shop will donate $100 to JAF’s Financial Assistance Program for every point the local New England football team scores this season, which will be used to help families battle food insecurity that often occurs in the midst of cancer treatment.

Throughout the season, JAF and Stop & Shop will also work together to raise awareness of the Foundation’s mission in an effort to drive donations and greater visibility for the needs of families coping with cancer and the issue of food insecurity. New England football fans will also be able to follow along with the Foundation’s social channels using the #GoalLineGiving hashtag, and fans can visit www.goallinegiving.org all season long to check in with the updated campaign fundraising scoreboard.

This program kicks off just in time for New England’s season opener against Pittsburgh on Sunday, September 8, 2019.

ABOUT THE JOE ANDRUZZI FOUNDATION

The Joe Andruzzi Foundation is committed to providing help, hope, and a reason to smile, for New England cancer patients and their families by contributing financial support when it is needed most. Founded in 2008 by former New England Patriots three-time Super Bowl Champion offensive guard Joe Andruzzi and his wife Jen, the Joe Andruzzi Foundation grew out of Joe’s own successful battle with cancer and the couple’s ongoing work with young cancer patients. In 2007, Joe’s football career abruptly ended when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Burkitt’s lymphoma. Disease-free less than a year later, Joe and Jen chose to dedicate their lives towards solving the financial distress a cancer diagnosis can cause in the lives of patients and families. For more information, or to make a donation, please visit: joeandruzzifoundation.org or visit our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

ABOUT STOP & SHOP

A neighborhood grocer for more than 100 years, today's Stop & Shop is refreshed, reenergized and inspired, delivering new conveniences for customers. Committed to helping its communities enjoy better food and better lives, Stop & Shop has a longstanding history of giving back to the neighborhoods it serves with a focus on fighting hunger and helping children to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is an Ahold Delhaize USA Company and employs nearly 60,000 associates and operates over 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.